"Unless you are born again, you are not saved. How do you know you have been born again?"
"Be born again" - The word translated here "again" means also "from above" i.e. born of God.
7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 8 He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. 9 In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. 10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 1 John 4
Love to people is an evidence of regeneration made by God!
To be "born of God" we need to repent and abandon our sins TURNING from them and confessing them to God in prayers. Those who have pleasure in unrighteousness will perish!
That is why the Son of God says that we should be "born of water" which is a symbol of baptism i.e. repentance.
Except a man be born of water in repentance and of God, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God.
Having a new love for the truth of the Word of God and people and a new understanding can be indications that one is in faith.
Whoever has been born of God does not sin i.e. he does NOT live and continue in sin! Killers are NOT killers anymore! They ABANDON crimes!
If you are a sexual immoral person and you want to be BORN of God then REPENT and ABANDON your sexual immorality (porn/lovers/sex). Otherwise you deceive yourself thinking that you are a Christian but in fact you are a sinner.
9 Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God. 1John 3
10 In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother.
If you are BORN of God then God is your Father and you are His child. If you BORN of Him then you have to practice RIGHTEOUSNESS!
How should Christians, who are BORN of God, live?
17 But whoever has this world?s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? 1 John 3
My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but IN DEED and in truth.
Now he who KEEPS His (GOD's) commandments ABIDES in Him, and He (GOD) in him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.
If we LOVE one another, God ABIDES in us, and His love has been perfected in us.
Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have BOLDNESS in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world.
Are you LIKE GOD in this world? God is LOVE!
If someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? And this COMMANDMENT (to fulfill) we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also. 1 John 4.
KEEP this COMMAND implementing it!
Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is BORN of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves HIM who is begotten of Him. 1 John 5
And everyone who loves Him who begot also loves HIM (i.e.Christians) who is begotten of Him!
By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and KEEP His commandments.
We know that whoever is born of God does NOT sin; but he who has been born of God KEEPS himself, and the wicked one does not touch him.
So, to HAVE eternal life we need:
(1) Believe in the Son of God.
And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 12 He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. 1 John 5
(2) To be baptized in water, abandoning our sins and promissing God our good conscience, as a symbol and act of repentance.
(3) We need to live a GODLY/HOLY life KEEPING i.e. IMPLEMENTING commands of God and LOVING people in action...in DEED.
13 Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, 15 but like the Holy One who called you, BE HOLY yourselves also in all your behavior;
16 because it is written, "Be holy, for I am holy." 1 Peter 1
This is what you call "Christianity". This is the way to the Kingdom of God. That should be your REGENERATION to be a SON of God BORN of God.
Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother.
Are you BORN of God or of devil?
In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother. 1 John 3
Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us (CHRISTIANS), that we should be called children of God!
We are CHILDREN of God!
Return to God you- backsliding CHILDREN of God! Repent and God will RESTORE you!
Amen! But Don't Forget the Holy Ghost! That gives us the power to live a Holy life, and is a gift promised to those that believe and obey. (Acts 2:38) To be both born of water and Spirit.
Here is what the Scriptures say:
"Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." John 3:5 KJV
"I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance. but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:" Matthew 3:11 KJV
"Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost."
Acts 2:38 KJV :yay:
More Supporting Scripture:
"The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach,
Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen:
To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:
And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me.
For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence." :applause:
Acts 1:1-5 KJV
"And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance."
Acts 2:1-4 KJV :yay: :glow: :applause:
"But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words:
For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day.
But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;
And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:
And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:"
Acts 2: 14-18 KJV :purpleangel:
"And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;
They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover." Mark 16:15-18 KJV :glow:
" And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
And ye are witnesses of these things.
And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high." Luke 24:47-49 KJV :party:
"Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you."
John 14:17 KJV :angel:
"But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." John 14:26-27 KJV
And lastly:
"But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth." John 4:23-24 KJV :applause:
Simply put:
First we are to Believe in God, then we are to Obey Him.
"Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble." James 2:19 KJV
"If ye love me, keep my commandments." John 14:15
" Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.
Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake.
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father." John 14:10-12 KJV
"If ye love me, keep my commandments." John 14:15
"He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him."
John 14:21 KJV
"Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me."
John 14:23-24 KJV
"Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
This is the first and great commandment.
And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." Mathew 22: 37-40
**God requires us not only to Believe but to Love and Obey...
1 John 3:9 No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God's seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God.
You miss quoted the scripture. People are made in the image of G-d so to even think badly about someone is to be I sin against G-d, you are thinking badly about His creation. Continue in sin (or I should say stop) will bear fruit first in the covert, than all will see in the overt.
I can do nice things but think really bad thoughts. So this is the question � who is saved? Answerer : G-d knows the heart� no one else�.
The Holy Ghost is needed to be born of God, it is that Spirit which He gives us to be called the Sons of God. Another thing to keep in mind all the letters after the book of Acts in the New Testament were written to the "church" those people that believe and obeyed Acts 2:38. But do not take my words for it look at the scripture:
Acts 19:1-6 KJV
1 And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples,
2 He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.
3 And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism.
4 Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.
5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
6 And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.
1 John 3:1-10 KJV
1 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.
2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.
5 And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.
6 Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.
7 Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.
8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.
10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.
1 John 3:22-24 KJV
22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
23 And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.
24 And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.
